Anyone interested in an interesting CP/M compatible import from the UK?
Please reply directly to the sender.
Reply-to: kgsniagfalls(a)hotmail.com
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 21 Oct 1999 08:35:47 PDT
From: Kelly Smith <kgsniagfalls(a)hotmail.com>
Subject: Amstrad 8256 available for donation
2740 Woodlawn Avenue
Niagara Falls, NY 14301-1448
October 21, 1999
VCF
4275 Rosewood Dr. #29-161
Pleasanton, CA 94588
I found out about your web-site from the PBS show Net Cafe. I understand
you take donations and I wonder if you'd be interested in an Amstrad PCW
8256 that uses the old 3-inch CF2 disks. I have everything that came with
it originally -- printer, both manuals, 2 program disks (4 sides) -- Word
Processor LocaScript on side 1, System/Utilities/Basic CP/M Plus on side 2,
CP/M Plus Programming Utilities on side 3, and CP/M Plus Dr. Logo & Help on
side 4.
In addition, after using it for several years I had a 3 1/2 inch floppy
drive added to it as drive B, which made it possible for me to transfer
ASCII files created in the LocaScript program to 720 KB MF-2DD disks in DOS
format so I could use them when I switched to a regular IBM compatible
computer. If you're interested, the software I used for this is also
available -- it's PCW 2-in-1, version 2.20, by Moonstone Computing of
Glasgow U.K. The program is on one 3 inch CF2 disk and there's also a
manual. It worked perfectly and although I knew very little about computers
I found it easy to use.
The Amstrad was in perfect working order the last time I used it, but that
was six years ago. I turned it on yesterday and though the monitor came on
I wasn't able to get it to boot up -- there was a different sound coming
from the old CF2 drive -- instead of the usual soft
whirring there was a
louder grinding sound. Other than being dusty I can't
think what's wrong
with it. It hasn't been moved or subjected to any extremes of temperature
or humidity.
Anyway, let me know if you're interested, and if so, can you tell me if you
pay any of the shipping costs? I doubt very much that I'd be able to sell
it, but it seems a shame to just throw it out in the trash.
I think you're undertaking a very worthwhile project. Working in a library,
I'm aware of the problem of not being able to access stranded information in
obsolete formats and disk types. We must be able to preserve and access
data, statistics, and scholarly research stored in these mediums --
otherwise we lose part of our history and the chance to build on the
knowledge of our predecessors. If you can keep older equipment operational
you'll provide a great service.
Most sincerely,
Kelly G. Smith
Sellam Alternate e-mail: dastar(a)siconic.com
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